Harem
Harem is an entertainment-related trope which is characterized by three or more characters, normally female, who for some reason are in the presence and under the influence of one character, generally male, according to a few genre-defining guidelines; here it will be assumed, for simplicity of language, that the harem lead is a male character and the members are female characters. Though that is the rule, there are exceptions; a story in which there is one female character and several male characters is normally called a “reverse harem”, or sometimes also “male harem”. Aside from the swapping of the characters’ genders, the trope’s details are mostly the same, with the majority of the changes relating to the differences in behavior between men and women of the characters’ age range. It is also possible to create harems with homosexual relationships, again with very few changes to the main antics themselves. The harem may not have more than only one lead, as that would be a love polygon, or less than three members, as one would form a couple and two would make a love triangle. As a defining rule of harem, the interactions between the lead and each of the individual members are filled with romantically or sexually loaded content, either implicitly, through innuendo or subtext, or explicitly, through text or actions, and those actions are a key plot element. Generally, the female characters’ looks and personalities will vary a lot among the ones present in one single series, but quite rarely will they actually differ from the common stock archetypes, which are known, well-defined, and easy to copy; for this reason, the genre as a whole is often considered repetitive. Usually, the characters involved directly in this trope are in the late teenager to young adult age range, but that is not mandatory. Sexually charged behavior on the lead’s part pretty much can’t be avoided, and it’s typical to see him stamped as a pervert by some or all of the members, regardless of whether he is one; the sexual tones also applies to the depiction of the harem members, often leading the genre to labeled sexist. The lead will often suffer very violent retribution for his behavior, which has attracted criticism of gratuitous violence as well. Most of the harem members will be romantically or sometimes sexually interested in the one male character, and in him alone; that, however, is not an absolute rule, and indeed sometimes none of the female characters are really interested at first, so the protagonist has to build relationships with them from scratch. That idea comes in large part from visual novels; it is quite common for visual novels to revolve around controlling the male lead and have him build relationships with either as many female characters as possible or with one of them, the latter being more common for visual novels with branched story paths; a large portion of those visual novels also feature erotic content, which may be hard to adapt to TV series. It may be also possible that the harem is only a support to the existing or predictable relationship between the lead and the most important member; additionally, the lead may end up in relationships with most or all of the harem members, with the agreement of all, in a setting normally called “harem ending”
-
Manga
Monster Girl (Digital) Vol.12
Yatsuki Nishizuru, a part-time worker in Akihabara, has the unique ability to see and interact with spirits— youkai—who inhabit the area. Despite this, Yatsuki tries to ignore them, living a…
-
Completed
Amaenaide yo!! Katsu!!
In this sequel, a girl named Kazusano Kazuki joins up with the 6 girls and Ikko. With Kazuki around, Ikko will find himself in more embarrassing situations with these priestesses-in-training.…
-
Completed
Amaenaide yo!!
Satonaka Ikkou, a 16 year old boy, is a first year trainee at the Saienji Buddhist Temple. He was sent there by his parents to be trained by his grandmother,…
-
Completed
Kanojo ga Flag wo Oraretara
In visual novels, an imaginary flag is defined as an event that serves as a turning point for the whole story. A player triggering the romance flag for a heroine…
-
Dual Audio
Motto To LOVE-Ru
Rito Yuuki never gets a break—he’s always finding himself in lewd accidents with girls around him. Although his heart still yearns for Haruna, his childhood love, Rito can’t help but…
-
Completed
Taimadou Gakuen 35 Shiken Shoutai
In a world plagued by magical dangers and threats, there exist special warriors—known as Inquisitors—who are tasked with non-violently preventing these threats and nefarious actions. The Anti-Magic Academy is a…
-
OVA
Eiken: Eikenbu yori Ai wo Komete
To some people, Densuke Mifune looks like the luckiest man in the world. Thanks to a chance encounter with the brilliant, beautiful, busty, but extremely shy Chiharu Shinonome, Eiken: Eikenbu…
-
Completed
Hundred
When an extraterrestrial organism known as “Savage” attacks mankind, the only technology capable of combating the enemy is a weapon known as “Hundred.” A survivor of a Savage attack, Hayato…
-
Completed
Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai After
OVA bundled with Niθ Art Works Vol. 2, featuring a new character named Kagekatsu Uesugi.
-
Completed
Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Bride
Second season of Hyakka Ryoran: Samurai Girls.
-
Completed
Princess Lover!
Following an automobile accident that claims the life of his parents, Teppei Arima is taken in by his grandfather and introduced to the world of the rich and the elite.…
-
Completed
Cupid’s Chocolates 2nd Season ( Aishen Qiaokeli-ing…II )
Jiang Hao Yi, a normal, high school student who is extremely scared of getting into trouble, suddenly becomes the Harem King of his school when a bunch of beautiful girls…
-
Completed
Ore ga Ojousama Gakkou ni “Shomin Sample” Toshite Gets♥Sareta Ken
Kimito Kagurazaka is a commoner with a fetish for men’s muscles—or at least that’s the lie he must keep telling if he wants to keep himself out of trouble at…
-
Completed
Oniichan no Koto nanka Zenzen Suki ja Nai n da kara ne!!
Junior High student Nao’s brother complex is so strong, it’s almost at the point of incest. She’s determined to make her brother, High School student Shuusuke, see her as a…
-
Completed
Oniichan dakedo Ai sae Areba Kankeinai yo ne!
After their parents’ deaths, brother and sister Akito and Akiko Himenokouji were forced to live with separate families for six years. But now they have finally reunited and begin to…
-
Completed
Mayoi Neko Overrun!
Takumi Tsuzuki is a high school student who attends the Umenomori Private Academy, free of charge, alongside Fumino Serizawa, a childhood friend of his whom always says the opposite of…
-
Completed
Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata
Tomoya Aki, an otaku, has been obsessed with collecting anime and light novels for years, attaching himself to various series with captivating stories and characters. Now, he wants to have…
-
Completed
Trinity Seven
One day, the bright red sun stopped shining, causing the “Breakdown Phenomenon”—the destruction of Arata Kasuga’s town and the disappearance of the people inhabiting it. All, however, is not yet…
-
Completed
Grisaia no Rakuen
Grisaia no Rakuen begins right at the end of the previous installment, Grisaia no Meikyuu. Kazami Yuuji is arrested under suspicion for terrorism. A video showing apparently concrete proof that…
-
Completed
Grisaia no Kajitsu
Yuuji Kazami is a transfer student who has just been admitted into Mihama Academy. He wants to live an ordinary high school life, but this dream of his may not…
-
Completed
Bokutachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai
Bokutachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai: Nariyuki Yuiga, an impoverished third-year high school student, works tirelessly to receive the VIP nomination, a scholarship that would cover all of his college tuition…
-
Completed
Goshuushou-sama Ninomiya-kun
Goshuushou-sama Ninomiya-kun: Shungo Ninomiya is just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill high school student who lives at home with his older sister Ryoko—at least when she’s not away doing her job as…
-
Completed
Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Girls
With its gorgeous landscape and prosperous people, Great Japan is the envy of all other nations. But a serious threat hovers over the country. Mysterious guardians known as Master Samurai…
-
Completed
Rosario to Vampire Capu2
It has been one year since Tsukune Aono enrolled at Youkai Academy, and since then his life has taken an interesting turn. In addition to being the only human at…
-
Completed
Rosario to Vampire
Youkai Academy is a seemingly normal boarding school, except that its pupils are monsters learning to coexist with humans. All students attend in human form and take normal academic subjects,…